Author : Clifton Porter

Are you more of the creative kind of person who is good with your hands? Have you tried making things that a lot of people seem to want to have and want to know how you have done them? Do you want to earn some extra money? If the answer to all of these questions is yes, then why won’t you turn your hobby into a profitable arts and crafts business venture?

Craft fairs are becoming popular in this day an age in various parts of the world. A lot of people are drawn to them, most especially those who are looking for unique finds that they can give to their loved ones. You see, people are becoming tired of getting people who are dear to them with the usual stuff that they can easily see and buy from their local stores. An increasing number of artisans are actually making money on weekends. Some of them are decent enough as their additional income while some of them are more than enough to let them leave their jobs. If you think that you have what it takes to create and sell your arts and crafts ideas and designs, then there is no doubt that you can be just like them and make more money too.

Starting any arts and crafts business venture can be a challenge. However, there are some things that you can do that will help you make it through. To begin, you can test the market first about their reaction and interest in your arts and crafts ideas. You can do this by showing your finished products to your family, friends, and work colleagues. You can even start earning money through this method. You can even be part of an online forum that specializes in arts and crafts so that you can post the pictures of the products that you have made. You will often be provided feedback by other crafters who are experienced in their craft.

Once you have received some positive feedback from people about your craft ideas, you can proceed to check your shop noticeboard or local paper about upcoming craft fairs in your locality. Give the organizers a call and book table from them so you can proceed to sell what you have to offer. This can be a good way for you to meet other craft-minded people like you at the very least. Even so, when the items that you have on display are interesting enough and are well-made, you may get the chance to not just sell one but sell them all. There are just a lot of possibilities when it comes to arts and crafts and for sure, you can find a whole bunch of them displayed in these craft fairs and events.

If you are a hundred percent sure to start an arts and crafts business but have no idea what hobby interests you the most, you can always check the internet for some videos that will help you come up with lots of ideas. Some of them include making new jewelry from broken pieces and old beads, knitting a bag, making a cushion cover, and more. You may also try buying some basic kits from craft and hobby shops in the area or online when you want things done on your own from scratch.

As you know by now, competition is fierce in the arts and crafts industry. That is why if your business belongs to this industry, you have to find ways to market the arts and crafts products that you have. One of the ways to showcase what you have to offer is by joining arts and crafts events. For most event promoters and producers, they are individuals who are truly concerned, interested, wonderful, and honest in what you have to offer and your success. Unfortunately, there are some people who are just happy to take away your money and not care at all if you make or lose money as the event ends. They might not bluff you directly, but for sure, they do not care at all if you will be coming back to their show. They perfectly understand that there will always be another crafter, artist, musician, food vendor, commercial vendor, and the like who will come back to them and give their show a try in the coming year.

So, how do you find the right arts and crafts events that you can be a part of? To answer this question honestly, you cannot really be a hundred percent sure most of the time. The event business is characterized by being momentary. This means that there will always be another vendor or exhibitor that will fill your space next year. However, this can also mean that there will always be another festival or event that you can go to in the coming months or years. This does not mean though that you should be trying out every event that comes your way. It just means that you should not let a poor show or a few poor events dull your hope and kill your dreams.

If you must be joining arts and crafts events, give these things a maximum of three years. If are still locating or contending your methods after these three years, then being part of these events might not be a good thing for you. Nonetheless, you should not be quick to give up after a year or two. It often takes at least two years to do so and even three to four years to figure out the best event for you and to be able to locate the ones that can do good for your arts and crafts business. Every year, you will be able to see events that you can keep and those that you should finally let go.

When joining arts and crafts events, do not go with first-time shows only. Of course, this is fine as long as you know the promoter or organization that is taking charge of the production of the show. However, if you don’t, then you better not join it altogether. This will help you pick out the good events from the bad ones. No matter how good first-time shows may be, they are still high risk. However, if the organization or promoter is someone you trust and has a good record of producing successful shows, then you can give them a go. If you can get some event suggestions from people in the industry or those you know though, this would be a good start for you.

If you look at arts and crafts on a business viewpoint, you will learn that there are all sorts of businesses being established in various directions. One of the most profitable areas of making arts and crafts as a business is being an arts and crafts wholesale supplier. One of the reasons why this is becoming very profitable is because of the many new arts and crafts businesses that are being established. To give in to the demand of the market to get products for these shops, these shops must get their supplies from the wholesale suppliers.

Before you become an arts and crafts wholesale supplier, you have to take note of a few things first. Becoming one is akin to starting any new business venture. For you to become an arts and crafts wholesale supplier, there are three things that you can do that you have to choose from for you to take a step further.

• Buy an arts and crafts wholesale business that already exists. This can be risky and costly. You are not just buying an established business but also buying the success and reputation that comes with it. Nonetheless, when you buy a business that already exists, you will benefit from getting the clients that the business has already gathered as well as getting some background knowledge coming from the seller.

• Starting your own arts and crafts wholesale business from scratch. This can be quite costly if you must do things your own. Even so, this is one of the best ways for you to make a name for yourself in your chosen business venture. You can expect to invest your time and effort though when you will be building your clients and using some marketing strategies. These things usually take place between one and two years.

• Buy an arts and crafts business opportunity. This may be the riskiest of the three directions that you will be headed for. Before you will be investing your time and money, you need to do a detailed study and understanding on the matter.

Business for profit
After doing some research on how you can do your business in arts and crafts wholesaling and how you can reach out to potential clients, you will not have some idea what role you will be playing and where you will be fitting in. As a seller, you are required to be educated about your wholesale business so that you can make your clients understand the value of buying your products. This is something that you must do as a wholesale supplier because you are also doing business. Just remember that it is not the products that you are selling that matter most but how you can sell them.

No matter what route you will be taking in your arts and crafts wholesale business venture, always understand to do some study and research on the market trends and what you are selling as well as your target market so that you can make the most profit from your efforts. It might take a lot of your time and effort, but surely, you will get there when you already know how to use the ropes in the business.

Marketing is an important aspect for the success of your arts and crafts business. Marketing your skills in arts and crafts is a challenging thing to do. Nonetheless, you can still do so and make it more profitable when you use the Internet as your platform. There are different arts and crafts models that can be produced using a website. These include free stuff sites, sculptures sites, and recycle crafts sites.

If you are thinking of making the most of your arts and crafts skills and earn money from it, here are 5 easy steps to creating your own arts and crafts business website.

1. Find out your personal skills in arts and crafts or any arts and crafts category that you belong to that you can easily associate with your interest and passion. If you are multiskilled, you can list them down on a piece of paper. You can start listing down the more unique skills that you have. If you have five different unique skills, for instance, jot them down into five categories.

2. Pick between one and two categories that will serve as your main product. For instance, if you are skilled in making wood sculptures, then you can create home accessories through this skill and make them your main product. Just be sure that the product you are going for is not already a product that is made by other established craft maker in the area. Always keep in mind to give your customers unique products that will be attractive to them.

3. Do some research on the Internet regarding your current competition level in the category that you have chosen. Check other websites that offer the same arts and crafts category that you have chosen. You can simply type in your chosen keywords in any search engine website and get some scoop on your current competition level under the same category. The fewer websites belonging in the same category as yours, the better.

4. Check out other websites that belong under the same category as yours but are already established online. This will help you attain a faster and more successful business. Looking at what these established websites will have to offer can give you some idea on how you can earn fast money. Starting from scratch when it comes to creating your own website can be a good thing; however, with how competitive the business world has become, you want to make sure to take proven and tested shortcuts. If you will use your own idea, you might be getting chronic headaches when you think about what kind of website you will be building and how you can market it. You will be wasting your time when you do your own research and face some family crises along the way. Also, you might be wasting more of your money when you buy some references and software that will not be useful for your website.

5. Choosing the right software to build your arts and crafts website. To determine the most fitting software for your own website, always do some research work. You can market and present your arts and crafts products using your website in a number of ways. These include an e-book, a virtual catalog, a video, free services, and more. You can choose from a wide array of software options that will let you do as much as you can about your website. So, make sure to check them out!

If you are one creative person when it comes to anything arts and craft, then it is time that you take your creativity to the next level and turn it into a business venture. There are a lot of benefits to running your own arts and craft business at home. Keep in mind though that the success of your business highly relies on your own creativity and drive. Your success also depends on your style and pace. You can start one right now at home with the right capital that you can start with.

This type of creative business enables a person to exercise their creativity while making money in return. It can enhance a person’s life by letting them learn new techniques and let them inspire creativity. You may start this business as a supplement to your regular job to earn extra income and later on, consider it as your retirement activity while still earning some money. Here are some of the few steps that you can take in running an arts and craft business at home.

1. Prepare your work area
Before you begin this business venture, make sure that you find a spare room or an area in your home that you will use for your work. This space should be able to fit in a desk for your paperwork, a product development area, and some storage space. Ensure that it is comfortable enough for a consistent flow of creative ideas.

2. Determine your talents
With modern designs being technologically driven and mass produced, an arts and craft business can help you produce attractive yet unique items making you stand out. Even modern-day consumers are drawn to items that have a personal touch to them. These can range from home decoration, printing, embroidery, cooking, woodwork, metalwork, and quilting. Be as creative as you can and let your talents guide you to the best product that you can come up with.

3. Gather the materials that you need
Once you have decided where your talents will take you when it comes to the items that you will be selling, do not forget to gather all the materials that you need. There are ways in which you can get the materials that you need at very reasonable prices. You can check your local wholesaler or some online stores.

4. Decide on the packaging of your items
When you are done making your items, you proceed to think how these finished products will reach your customers. Make sure that you package them attractively and include instructions as needed. With your arts and craft business, make sure that your gift bags, ribbons, and wrapping papers are all attractive. Do not forget to include your card that will have your name, website, email address, address, and telephone number. This will serve as your way of marketing your business.

5. Prepare your website and marketing strategies
To run your arts and craft business smoothly, make sure that you know how to market your products. The best places that you can start showing them will be gift shops, competitions, craft malls, galleries, and specialty shops. You can also utilize the internet to market your business. You can also showcase your products on online shops by just paying a nominal fee.

There are many reasons why you should allow or even encourage your kids to do crafts. Crafting is not only an activity to entertain them or kill their time. It can be a good way to boost their confidence and creativity.

Some of the reasons why you should look for crafts that your kids can do are as follows:

1. Summer is already fast approaching and you know you have a lot of stuff to do and you will not have much time to think about your kids. Crafting can be a good way to keep your kids entertained while you are busy. Simply craft projects do not require parental supervision so you can do what you have to do without worrying about the safety of your children.

2. You cannot come up with a good idea for a craft project that your children can do. Thinking of an easy craft for kids can be quite difficult especially if you are new with it.

3. There are crafts that you simply find difficult for your children to do. Other than that, some crafting materials are too complicated or different to procure.

4. Some craft ideas you find on the internet do not have clear instructions on how to complete them. Craft for kids must be simple to create and there must be clear instructions that children would understand.

5. It takes some time to find a good craft for kids. Some crafts for kids may not be suitable for your children. You should consider the skills and development of your children before choosing a craft project for them. Taking many hours on the internet searching for a good craft idea is not so recommended. Those wasted time can be used in helping your kids create crafts instead.

6. Some crafting materials are difficult to find. It is more recommended to choose a craft project that requires materials that can be found at home. If there is a need for you to purchase additional materials, they should only be glue and other small things.

7. Your kids can use craft outputs as gifts for family and friends. It is always better to give something that has sentimental value rather than those bought at stores.

8. You can spend more time with your kids while they do their craft projects. As a parent, you will want to see your kids enjoying the activity. It would also be fulfilling for you to watch them have fun completing a craft project.

9. Crafting is a good activity to deviate your kids from watching too much television and smart phones.

10. If your kids are homeschooling, crafting is a great idea to improve their creative skills and express their imaginations.

11. The concentration of your kids will be further improved if they get to create crafts on their own.

12. Crafting also helps improve self confidence. Kids are able to socialize with other children and they will develop more self-esteem when their work is appreciated.

13. Perseverance can be taught through the help of crafting. Tricky crafts can help children strive harder to complete.

14. Crafting that requires group effort can also help children learn leadership in their early years.

For all the reasons why your kids should do crafting, you must know that the childhood years of a person is critical to their skill and attitude development.

When it comes to crafts for kids, it is always important to keep them simple and easy to create. Kids will lose interesting in completing a craft if it gets to complicated and difficult at some point. Always try to keep it easy and simple. There are many easy crafts for kids and all you need are just simple crafting materials, such as construction papers, toothpicks, brushes, and glitters.

Because there are endless ideas for crafts for children, this article contains some suggestions that you can take into consideration. Just remember not to limit your children with specific craft ideas and just let them use their creativity.

Pipe cleaner people A colored pipe cleaner can be an interesting material that children can use in creating crafts with different shapes. Colored pipe cleaners are flexible and can be twisted into various shapes. They can make animals, buildings, plants, and people, or whatever the kids can imagine. If you have more than a single child, colored pipe cleaners are highly recommended so they can make a bigger craft project, such as a zoo.

Since pipe cleaners are flexible, they can be untwisted for reuse. You do not have to buy extra pipe cleaners if your kids want to create new crafts. This material is an inexpensive way of keeping your kids busy and entertained at the same time.

Macaroni Necklaces This specific craft can be created by your kids using simple materials. This has been an easy craft for everyone and produces a good output. To create one, you will need a string and colored macaroni. Let your kids string the colored macaroni into the yarn. If your macaroni is not colored, you can let your kids paint them.

Paint with sponges Another interesting craft idea for kids is creating sponge figures and painting them with the right colors. There are many cheap sponges that you can buy in local stores. Get some interesting figures and a set of basic colored brushes. Your kids will definitely love this kind of idea since most kids like to color things. You can also create a sponge figure on your own if you have the time. Simple figures such as circles, stars, moons, and triangles are easy to create.

Make your own puppets Creating puppets out of simple materials is another interesting idea for kids crafts. You simply need to get sheets of foam from any craft store. Cut them into different shapes and figures and let your kids attach them onto popsicle sticks. They can create their own puppet show with their created crafts. Take note to accompany them in using the glue, especially if it is still their first time.

Toothpick art Most schools even use this craft idea for their preschool students. Toothpick art may take some time to complete but it is a great idea to keep your kids entertained and busy. You will not toothpicks and miniature marshmallows. With these simple crafting materials, your kids can create various forms of crafts, including buildings, bridges, stars, and any kind of shape.

The childhood years of a person are very critical to his or her skill and talent development. Kids must try all the activities they can do in their early years. Most kids may enjoy playing with other kids but they should also try other recreational activities. One great activity that they can do is doing crafts. This activity can help them develop their artistic skills and also help them improve to express their thoughts through art. Here are some other reasons why your kids should try creating crafts:

1. Crafting items can make your kids develop their artistic talents. With kid’s craft, they have the freedom to explore different colors and textures. They can choose which kinds of craft they like to create and with continuous exposure to crafting, their artistic skills will be further developed.

2. Another reason why kids are recommended to do crafting is because it helps them develop dexterity. Many crafts will require children to do some drawing, cutting, reshaping, sculpting, coloring, and picking small beads. Such activities help improve the control of their hands and fingers while in their early years.

3. Eco-friendly crafts help children care for the environment. Crafting does not have to be expensive. You do not have to buy at a local store for the materials for a specific craft. The good thing about crafting is that you also have the freedom to choose any material that comes in your mind. Dried leaves, used towels, twigs, and recycled materials can be used to create an entire new concept of craft. With the use of such materials, you can teach your children the importance of caring for the environment.

4. Crafting can be a good way to bond with your kids. It is not recommended to let your kids do all the work. With crafting, you can spend more time with your kids. It may also be a good time to talk with your children about other aspects in their life. You may also teach them the basic skills in craft creation during this moment.

5. To wrap it up, the main reason why your kids should try out crafting is because it is entertaining and fulfilling at the same time. As a parent, you will definitely want your children to have fun during their childhood years and crafting can give them that. They will feel a sense of fulfillment once they accomplish a craft project.

There are many other reasons why your kids should start crafting but the ones listed above are the main ones. It is always important to keep an eye on the activities that your children are doing because their childhood years are very critical to their skill development. You should plan on creating activities that will make them interested and feel fulfillment. Do not just let them play all the time. If you want to initiate your first craft project, there are some useful ideas that you can get from the internet. Remember to pick a project that your kids can do on their own.

An interesting activity that your kids can do this Christmas season is creating snowman Christmas crafts. The created crafts can be used as home decorations this holiday season. You and your family’s holiday celebration will definitely become more joyful and interesting if you let your kids try creating new crafts for Christmas.

Some of the popular and easy to make snowman Christmas crafts for kids are as follows:

Paper Plate Snowman

An unusual material used to create a snowman craft is paper plate. Your kids can put together paper plates of different sizes to make a snowman. The entire process can be quite intricate but it will fun to do for young children. To make it simpler for them, you simply have to punch a hole at the bottom of the small plate. Do the same at the top of the large plates. Inform your kids to attach the two plate sizes together using a pipe cleaner. Continue the entire process until a snowman figure will be made. Make them use markers in creating the face of the snowman on the small plate and also the buttons on the larger plates.

Your kids may also create a scarf for the figure by cutting a piece of construction paper. Just make sure you are there to supervise when they use the scissors. The shape does not have to be accurate. Just tell your kids to imagine what a scarf looks like and whatever they make should be enough. Real buttons are also fun to use as well if you have stock on hand.

Craft Foam Snowmen

A more interesting way to create a snowman craft is by using craft foam. Craft foam can be shaped into circles which will be used for the body and head of the snowman. It would be best if you precut the craft foams before handing them to your kids as the cutting process may be a bit difficult for them to do.

If your kids want to create the scarf and the face of the snowman using the same craft foams, you should assist them in changing the shape of the material. Teach them to create different shapes for the nose and eyes of the figure. As much as possible, give them the freedom to choose whatever color they want for the scarf and buttons of the snowman.

Recycled Milk Jug Snowman

Another interesting idea for a snowman craft is the use of a clean recycled milk jug. A milk jug greatly resembles the head of a snowman which is why it is a good material to use in creating a snowman craft. To make it more interesting, have your kids create a black hat to be put on top of the head of the figure.

The handle of the empty milk jug can be used as the snowman’s nose. Its eyes can be drawn from the sides. Your kids may use wiggly eyes or craft foams to make it more appealing.

Styrofoam Ball Snowmen

The most interesting way to build a snowman Christmas craft is through Styrofoam balls. Precut Styrofoam balls can be bought at a local store and building a snowman through this material becomes much easier for your kids. They can color some parts of the Styrofoam balls for the facial features, scarf, buttons, and other details of the snowman.

Do you have kids that are quite difficult to handle when it comes to participation in learning? Perhaps you should incorporating interesting ideas to get their attention. Using science crafts can be a good way to engage them in the lesson. You should not worry about creating such crafts because they are easy to make. You can even let your kids create them by themselves. There are hundreds of science crafts and experience you can do and many of them are just very simple. The following are interesting science crafts for your kids that you can use in your next lecture:

Stick Compass

A good way to teach children about directions is through a stick compass. You will need a straight tree branch or a wooden dowel for this. Creating this science craft will need you to be outdoors. First, simply dig a small hole in the dirt and insert the tree branch in the hole. Make sure you do this during daytime since sunlight is needed for this activity. Once the tree branch is inserted, a shadow of the stick is created. At the end of the shadow, create a reference point. After several minutes, a different shadow will be observed at a different direction. Mark that shadow as another reference point. Once you mark a line between the two reference points, the East and West directions will be created. West is the first one and the East is the second. A stick compass is then created and your children will definitely understand the different directions.

Sponge Plant Anatomy

If you are teaching about plants and the process of their growth development, you should try out the sponge plant anatomy. This science craft can be done by the kids. All you need is a porous sponge and any type of flower seed. First step is to soak the sponge in water. After that, roll the sponge in the seeds. You may push the seeds even further to the sponge. Make the kids hang the sponge in a window where the seeds can get direct sunlight. Leave it out in the open sunlight for a few days and the seeds will begin to sprout. Once sprouted, you can transfer the seeds to a pot and teach your kids about the anatomy of plants as they grow.

Slime

Teaching children about colors can become more exciting if you use a science craft. You can use the slime idea because kids will definitely get interested in it. What you will need are a cup of water, corn starch, containers, and different food colorings. Teach the kids to combine different colors in one container. Try purchasing the basic colors for the food coloring so they will know how a color is created. They can use the corn starch and water mixture to create a slime-like appearance with an interesting color.

There are many other science crafts that you can use to get the attention of children. Remember that little kids lose their interest in boring lectures. You will need to find a way to engage them in the lesson. A very effective method is incorporating activities such as crafting and other interesting stuff.